Soldering iron heater



Dec. 2o, 1938. R J, SmNGgLL 2,140,817

SOLDERING IRON HEATER Filed June 14, 1957 will 3/ MINIMUM" l l ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOLDERING IRON HEATER Raymond J. Springall,

deceased, late of Sacradecree to Ramona D.

Springall, widow Application June 14, 1937, Serial No. 148,130

3 Claims.

lThis invention relates generally to a heater for soldering irons and in particular is directed to an electrically actuated heater for such purpose.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a compact and readily portable electrically actuated soldering iron heater; the soldering iron when engaged with the heater being disposed in the electric circuit and the heater being constructed in such manner that a soldering iron may be heated very rapidly and with a minimum consumption of electric current.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly eective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the heater, showing a soldering iron in heating position thereon.

Figure 2 is a` sectional elevation of the heater.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the iron-supporting contacts and their mounting base.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the device comprises an open bottom, box-like case I preferably of metal. A transformer including a continuous core 2 formed of metal laminations is disposed within the case and spaced from the walls thereof. Arms 3 are secured to the top 4 of the case and depend on both sides of the core adjacent each end; tie bolts 5 extending between corresponding arms above and below the core. Rectangular` frames 6 are disposed between the arms and adjacent portions oi the core in order to maintain the core laminations firmly engaged' together over substantially the entire end portions oi the core. An insulating sheet 'I` is mounted between each frame and adjacent core portion.

The core 2 is wound with a primary coil 8 preferably including approximately 185 ft. of 16 guage copper wire suitably insulated, as by enamel, and with each row of turns separated by fish paper. The leads 9 from the primary coil extend to terminal posts I which are mounted on a rigid insulating strip I I secured to and extending between the frames on one side of the core. A two-wire current supply cable C extends through a side opening in the case and connects with terminal posts IB.

The core 2 is also wound with a secondary coil comprising a plurality of turns of sheet or strip copper I2, such sheet or strip of copper preferably being of 28 guage, 3 in. wide and 12 ft. long. The turns of said copper sheet are insulated from each other by enameling or the like and the turns are also separated by sh paper. Such copper 5 sheet secondary coil is maintained in place by a shellacked cord winding I3 encircling the same. Leads I4 from such secondary coil extend upward through an opening I5 in the top 4 of the case and through slots I6 in a dielectric plate I'I 10 mounted on the top of the case over said opening; the leads also being of copper sheet.

A metallic soldering iron rest includes a base member I8 secured on plate I'I, and a soldering iron supporting member I9, having a horizontal ange 19a, mounted on the member I8; one of the leads I4 being secured between the engaged portions of the members I8 and I9 which are bolted together in the manner shown. The members I8 and I9 are preferably of iron..

A relatively short carbon rod 20, circulator in cross section, is adjustably and removably mounted in horizontal position a short distance from and above the plane of the soldering iron rest iiange ISa by means of spaced clamps 2| 25 which are bolted at their lower ends to a supporting base 22 xed on the dielectric plate II. The other lead I4 is connected to the supporting base 22 by means of a clamping plate 23.

In use the electric supply cable C is connected with any suitable source of 110 v. A. C. current. The soldering iron S to be heated is then placed with the body on the soldering iron rest and with the point engaging beneath the carbon rod 20 in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the soldering iron S makes contact between the metallic soldering iron rest and the carbon rod, the circuit through the secondary coil is closed. With the secondary circuit thus closed, the soldering iron will heat rapidly on account of the employme-nt of the carbon rod which has low conductivity and high resistance characteristics. The speed of heating results from the proper combination of low voltage and high amperage obtained from the transformer, which is of the stepdown type.

The soldering iron will become hot enough for use within one or two minutes and when the iron is removed from the heater and the secondary circuit broken the transformer will be substantially inactive even though the cable C remains connected with the source of current. Due to this fact the device is quite inexpensive to operate and as the transformer is of the step-down type loosened and the rod turned so that a new surface will engage the soldering iron, or a new carbon rod may be inserted in place of the burned one.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced Such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrically actuated solderingr iron heater including a base, contact means rigidly mounted on and above the base and spaced therefrom, and a soldering iron rest mounted on and above the base in horizontally offset relation to the contact means and at such level that when the tip of a soldering iron is engaged with said contact means from beneath, the rest supports the body of the iron as a fulcrum and adjacent the inception of the tip.

2. An electrically actuated soldering iron heater including a base, one contact element rigidly mounted on and above the base and spaced therefrom, and a combination contact element and soldering iron rest mounted on and above the base in horizontally offset relation to said one contact element and at such level that when the tip of a soldering iron is engaged with said one contact element from beneath, the rest supports the body of the iron as a fulcrum adjacent the inception of the tip.

3. A device asin claim 2 in which said one contact element is of carbon and the combination Contact element and rest is of metal whereby to effect heating at and from the tip.

RAMONA D. SPRINGALL. Administratri of the Estate of Raymond J.

Springall, Deceased. 

